Новини
Here's what you need to know before playing Ys X: Proud Nordics
G
George Yang
The Ys series follows a young red-haired man named Adol Cristin who goes on various adventures throughout the world. His thirst for seeing new lands has landed him in some interesting predicaments, such as preventing the human race from becoming extinct and being inflicted with a vampiric curse that prevents him from leaving a city. His stories are wild.
Ys has 11 mainline games in the series (including a prequel), but should you play all of the other Ys games beforehand? Like Trails, Ys games have spanned multiple different platforms throughout the years. However, Ys is also incredibly different in terms of its storytelling approach and gameplay. Let’s clear the air about Ys: Proud Nordics, and what you need to play beforehand.
Do I need to play the previous Ys games?
The answer is no! Unlike the Trails series, very few of the Ys games are interconnected with each other, as many are standalone. Aside from the prequel, Ys Origins, the only real similarities are that these games feature Adol as the main protagonist. Ys I and its sequel, Ys II, are also the only ones that are directly related to each other.
What’s interesting about the Ys series, however, is that the chronological order doesn’t follow the release order. For example, Ys X is chronologically the third game in the series, following Ys Origins (2006) and both Ys I & Ys II (1989). Taking place approximately a month after those events, Proud Nordics sees a younger Adol earlier in his globetrotting career. 1993’s Ys IV: Mark of the Sun and its 2012 remake Ys: Memories of Celceta are next in the timeline after Proud Nordics.
So as a result, Ys X: Proud Nordics is a separate adventure that requires no previous knowledge or playthroughs of previous games in the series to understand what’s going on. So you can simply dive in without any hesitation!
What makes Ys different from Trails?
While both series are developed by Nihon Falcom, they have very stark differences. Trails is primarily turn-based, with games like Cold Steel III, IV, and Reverie. It has since evolved to include some real-time action elements starting with Trails through Daybreak I, II and the latest game in the series, Beyond the Horizon.
Ys focuses entirely on real-time action, but some entries have different twists. In Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, Adol has an entire group to travel with and party members fighting by his side, similar to games like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth. In other entries like Ys: The Oath of Felghana, Adol goes solo, saving the day himself.
Ys X: Proud Nordics is a bit different. It has a dual protagonist structure with Adol and Karja Balta, a hearty pirate who joins him to explore the Obelia Gulf while combating a new threat called the Griegr. Players can switch between Adol and Karja on the fly and synchronize both of them in order to pull off powerful attacks.
This entry also has ship battles like you see in other games like Skull and Bones, giving Proud Nordics a distinct seafaring identity compared to others in the series. Additionally, if you’d like to see the two series face off in a crossover, play the energetic brawler Ys vs Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga.
What’s the difference between Nordics and Proud Nordics?
Ys X: Proud Nordics is meant to be the definitive version, complete with brand new story content and quality of life improvements. The sailing and shipfaring aspects have been made quicker, reducing the amount of time needed to travel between areas. Additionally, the graphics have gotten a bit of an overhaul to make them look more appealing.
But the real draw is a new area called Öland island for Adol and Karja to explore. It delves into the existing backstory of Nordics and expands on the lore. It also introduces two new supporting characters, the Shield Siblings Canuate and Astrid, as they journey alongside our heroes to uncover the mystery surrounding the island.
There is a new Mana action called Mana Hold, which lets players manipulate objects like boulders to solve puzzles. To top it all off, there’s both an arena and post-game dungeon that’ll put your skills to the test. The latter is called Muspelheim, where players have to race against the clock to avoid traps and battle strong enemies. Along the way, players can collect Deepcrystal Shards and spend them to unlock dungeon modifiers such as extending the time limit and the spawn rate of treasure chests, making runs less taxing and more dynamic.
If you’ve already played Ys X: Nordics, there’s plenty of new additions that justify a return to Obelia Gulf in Proud Nordics to see the crew again. If you haven’t, there’s no better time to get on board.
Ys X: Proud Nordics sets sail March 6 on Epic Games Store.